The present invention relates to a door member locking/unlocking apparatus such as a door closing apparatus for forcibly closing a door member such as a side door or a trunk door of an automobile to a fully latched state when it detects that the door member is not fully latched (or partially latched).
When the side door of an automobile is to be closed, a weather strip reaction or a locking resistance acts immediately before the full closure so that a considerable force is required for closing out the door. This may frequently leave the door partially (or not fully) latched. Then, the door has to be troublesomely closed again. This trouble can likewise occur in the trunk door, too.
In order to solve this problem, there has been known a door closing apparatus for forcibly closing the side door (or trunk door) into the fully latched state when it detects that the door is partially latched. Usually, the door closing apparatus is provided with two functions: an unlocking function for unlocking the doors and a forcibly latching function for forcibly latching the lock from a partially latched position to a fully latched position. These functions are individually controlled in the prior art using two actuators. This use enlarges the size of the door closing apparatus and raises the production cost. Another problem is that the use raises a factor to reduce the capacity of the trunk.
In order to solve these problems, there has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 27748/1993, for example, a door locking apparatus (or a door closing apparatus) which is equipped with one actuator for performing the unlocking function and the forcibly latching function.
As shown in FIG. 57, a door locking mechanism 81, as mounted in a door, is equipped with a latch 83 which is so hinged on a pin 84 as is normally urged counter-clockwise of FIG. 57. The latch 83 has a recess 83a capable of restricting a striker 82. If the force to be applied for closing the door is relatively weak, the latch 83 is not turned, even it abutting against the striker 82, so far as the partially latched position, as shown in FIG. 57(a). As a result, the latch 83 is regulated in the position where its pole 85 is retained. If the force to be applied for closing the door is relatively strong, on the other hand, the latch 83 is brought into abutment against the striker 82 so that it is completely turned to the fully latched position, as shown in FIG. 57(b). As a result, the latch 83 is regulated in the position where its pole (or ratchet) 85 is retained.
A door closing apparatus 86 having the door locking mechanism 81 is equipped with one reversible motor 87 as the actuator, as shown in FIG. 56. As this reversible motor 87 is driven forward, a turn disc 88 is turned clockwise of FIG. 56 from its neutral position. As a result, one end of an output member 89, as fixed on the turn disc 88, is brought into abutment against an arm 90 so that the arm 90 is turned to pull a rod 91. When this rod 91 is pulled, the latch 83, is forcibly turned from the partially latched position to the fully latched position.
As the reversible motor 87 is driven backward by operating the opener, on the other hand, the turn disc 88 is turned counter-clockwise from the neutral position. As a result, the other end of the output member 89 is brought into abutment against an arm 92 so that the arm 92 is turned to pull a rod 93. When this rod 93 is pulled, the pole 85 having regulating the latch 83 in the fully latched position is turned in the releasing direction so that the door is released from its fully latched (or locked) state. Since the door closing apparatus 86 is thus equipped with the single reversible motor 87, its size can be reduced, and its control can be simply executed by one electric controller.
Despite of this advantage, however, the turn disc to be turned for pulling the individual rods 91 and 93 has to be arranged to have its individual faces normal to the latch 83. This makes it necessary to adopt the layout in which the two members 83 and 88 are not compactly arranged. This has failed to reduce the size of the door closing apparatus 86 sufficiently.
Moreover, the door closing apparatus 86 is constructed such that the turn disc 88 is positioned within a range of a predetermined angle (e.g., several tens degrees). As a result, the reversible motor 87 is driven back and forth within the relatively narrow angular range so that it is required to generate, a relatively high torque. This relatively enlarges the size of the reversible motor 87 to be employed, thus raising a cause for the apparatus to be sufficiently reduced in size. Here, the size reduction of the door closing apparatus is an important target because the apparatus is mounted in the limited space of the inside of the door.
Moreover, the reversible motor 87 has to be controlled forward and backward and is accompanied by a more complex control than the ordinary one-way motor. Since the reversible motor 87 is driven in the two directions from the neutral position, it has to be equipped with a neutral detecting sensor 94. This increases the number of detectors for controlling the reversible motor 87. As the detectors are the more, the control of the motor 87 becomes the more complex to complicate the control circuit the more.
Depending upon where the door locking mechanism 81 is mounted in the trunk door, on the other hand, the door may be unable to be closed reliably and stably. As an example for solving this problem, it is conceivable to employ a plurality of door closing apparatuses 86. However, this employment will increase the number of steps of assembling the door closing apparatuses 86 in the vehicle and will raise the cost for the vehicle. This makes it necessary to consider the positions for mounting the door closing apparatuses 86 in the trunk door.
According to the door closing apparatus 86, on the other hand, the door is excessively closed, if it is further latched once it was forcibly latched to the fully latched state. This excessive closure may deform the door panel or the like by the apparatus 86. It is, therefore, necessary that the door closing apparatus 86 has to be stopped without fail in its latching operation when the door comes into the fully latched state.
Moreover, when the pole (or ratchet) 85 retains the latch 83 in the partially latched position or in the fully latched position, the two members collide against each other to make a rattling sound. This is a major cause for the rattling sound of the door closing apparatus 86.